Gallbladder visualization during technetium-99m RBC blood pool imaging. Case report and literature review

• Published in: Clinical nuclear medicine Vol. 13; no. 7; p. 515
• Main Authors: Kotlyarov, E V, Mattay, V S, Reba, R C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-07-1988
• Subjects: Aged; Erythrocytes; False Positive Reactions; Female; Gallbladder - diagnostic imaging; Heart - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Imino Acids; Organometallic Compounds; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0363-9762
• DOI: 10.1097/00003072-198807000-00010

Gallbladder visualization occurred after a Tc-99m red blood cell (RBC) cardiac gated blood pool scan. To date, seven cases of gallbladder visualization after the intravenous injection of Tc-99m RBCs have been reported. In the previous six patients the gallbladder was visualized incidentally during a search for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. All of the patients were anemic, six of seven had chronic renal failure, and five of seven had received multiple blood transfusions. When interpreting GI bleeding scans in patients with anemia and renal failure, awareness of the possibility of gallbladder visualization in the delayed images is important to avoid false-positive results.